“On starting the surveys, our Historic first business was to find the Columbia beauty spots, or those points where the most beautiful River things along the line might be Highway seen in the best advantage, and if possible to locate the road in such a way as to reach them.” Samuel Lancaster, HCRH Engineer

Oregon Scenic Byway Imagine crafting a national treasure on a landscape so revered that each viewpoint is protected, the design and materials in complete harmony with the natural elements, and the creation so good that people come from all over the world to marvel at its perfection. This is the Historic Highway—the King of Roads—a pathway along the spectacular . Whether you are seeing it for the first time or know every inch by heart, each time you experience the Highway, you begin the journey anew. Historic Columbia River Highway & State trail A Bridge To The Past

Poetry In Stone Echoes From The Past DODSON/AINSWORTH – EXIT 35 AINSWORTH STATE PARK

HORSETAIL R FALLS E ONEONTA V GORGE I R

WAHKEENA A I B M EXIT 28 U L BRIDAL VEIL Legend O TROUTDALE C EXIT 18 – State Park SHEPPERD’S DELL LEWIS & CLARK CORBETT – US Forest Service

PORTLAND CROWN POINT/ HISTORIC VISTA HOUSE DABNEY WOMEN’S FORUM – Historic Highway

ROUTE SANDY RIVER – Fee Required – HCRH open to motor vehicles – Hiking & biking only

From the very beginning, people have history, at a time when the river and trails and cascades. They built railroads as the found the Columbia River Gorge a spec- through the Columbia Gorge served a timber and fishing industries grew. And tacular sight, a place to protect and thriving Native American trade network as America’s love for the Model “T” preserve for future generations to experi- stretching far beyond the Pacific reached the Northwest, there was talk of ence and enjoy. In 1986, the Columbia Northwest. It was only 200 years ago building a road. River Gorge became the first and only when Lewis and Clark became the first to National Scenic Area in the United write of the indigenous peoples of the The Historic Columbia River Highway is States, a designation that protects and Gorge, the mighty River of the West, and a tale of visionaries, civic leaders, skilled enhances the scenic, cultural, natural, the natural wonders found here. Their engineers and talented craftsmen. and recreation resources while encourag- words introduced a nation to the romance Without benefit of modern construction ing compatible growth and economic and riches of the . By equipment and computer-aided design, development. The Columbia River the 1850s, pioneers coming across the they laid down the first major paved road Gorge National Scenic Area is a remark- Oregon Trail had already settled along in the Pacific Northwest along what could able joining of public and private inter- the river, finding ways to meet the chal- have been considered an impossible route. ests all committed to stewardship of the lenging route along the Columbia. The They did it with men, horses, and innova- place the locals simply call “the Gorge.” emigrants built portages, canals and locks tive machinery. And they did it with ele- The story begins long before recorded to move people and goods around rapids gance, reconciling the beauty of nature

3 VIENTO MEMALOOSE OVERLOOK TOM MCCALL PRESERVE

STARVATION CREEK MOSIER

MOSIER A Bridge TWIN TUNNELS ROWENA CREST Restoration &

CASCADE To The Past LOCKS Reconnection STATE TRAIL HIKING EAGLE CREEK & BIKING R ONLY Land Of E

V GORGE I 35 Contrast DISCOVERY STATE TRAIL R CENTER WARRENDALE HIKING & BIKING ONLY D O THE DALLES O DODSON/AINSWORTH – EXIT 35 H

AINSWORTH STATE PARK

Traveling the Historic Highway and State Trail

A tour of the Historic Highway can take a few hours or a few days, depending on the time you have to spend enjoying each site along the way. Take a look at the map and you’ll see the segments that can be driven and those which have been re-opened for hiking and biking. Arched railings along the Multnomah Falls viaducts. You’ll be able to HISTORIC follow the US 30 with the needs of civilization. Lawyer, and by 1922 Portland was connected to signs marking the “good roads” advocate and entrepreneur The Dalles by a paved road. Over the motorized route of Sam Hill envisioned more than a route years, this grand road was replaced by a the Historic Highway. ROUTE through the Columbia River Gorge. He modern highway and many of its trea- inspired the construction of a highway sures lost. Tunnels were filled and Original parts of the road are still to rival the great roads of Europe. bridges destroyed, but thanks to the narrow and winding, and not rec- Together with engineer Samuel efforts of many dedicated advocates, the ommended for large motorhomes. Lancaster, Hill championed his vision Highway is being restored. Today, you When stopping along the highway, for a road winding high above the can still drive segments of the Historic you’ll want to make sure that you Columbia to Portland civic leaders John Columbia River Highway and walk or have secured your valuables. Keep B. Yeon, Simon Benson, Julius Meier, bicycle along once-abandoned sections an eye out for bicyclists and hikers Henry L. Pittock, C.S. Jackson, and that have been restored as the Historic who often share this route. And others. In 1913, construction began, Columbia River Highway State Trail. remember you are out in nature. 4 “We will cash in, year after year, on our crop of scenic beauty, without depleting it in any way.” Sam Hill

Stark Street Bridge over the Sandy River is one of the two western gateways onto the Historic Columbia River Highway. Echoes From The Past

eginning on the banks of the longer the bustling farm towns they graceful arches and “guard rocks” BSandy River, the Historic once were, they stand now as quiet laid out by skilled craftsman. One Columbia River Highway winds gen- neighbors along the Highway, a of the most distinctive features of tly past a tree-lined shore not far from place for folks to enjoy country liv- the Historic Columbia River where Lewis and Clark camped in ing not far from the city. Highway is its masonry. Look for 1805. They called it the “Quicksand the differences in masonry and see River” for in those days it ran with a At Portland Women’s Forum State if you can tell which work is gritty and murky look. Majestic Mt. Park at Chanticleer Point you get original and which is new. Look, Hood to the east—an icon of your first look at the Columbia River too, for the reconstructed concrete Oregon’s landscape—had recently and the Columbia River Gorge—the mile markers and the white erupted, spilling ash into the headwa- vista that inspired Sam Hill to create wooden guardrails, both efforts to ters of the Sandy high in the the Highway. In the distance you replace the original elements of the Cascades. You’ll see the snow-capped catch sight of the next major view- highway and recall the visual mountain as you meander your way point at Crown Point. On your way reminders of a time when motoring past upland orchards and blueberry there, you’ll see more of the struc- through the Gorge was done at a fields through the historic communi- tures associated with the Historic slower pace. ties of Springdale and Corbett. No Highway: stone guard walls with

EXIT 17 EXIT 18 EXIT 22

TROUTDALE NE CORBETT HILL RD.

JO S

R A D

A N

N RD

D

257TH DR  Y

.

R

I LEWIS & CLARK  . V ILL RD TT H E STATE PARK I-84 E B R R HCRH O H OTHER ROADS C IS E T RAILROAD N O R I C C O LU M B I-84 IA Vista R House HCRH IV CORBETT E LUMBIA RI R CO VE OTHER ROADS IC R HW H TOR Y W HIS RAILROAD Y

You will find the beginning of the Historic Columbia River The community of Corbett is located on the old highway and Highway in Troutdale on the east side of the Sandy River can be reached from I-84, exit 22 via Corbett Hill Road. near Lewis and Clark State Park. 6 “An observatory from which the view both up and down Poetry the Columbia could be viewed In Stone in silent communication with the infinite.” Samuel Lancaster he Vista House at Crown Point HCRH Engineer Tis an Oregon treasure, one of the most photographed and recog- nizable sites in the Columbia River Gorge. Built as a memorial to Oregon pioneers, it sits atop a high point on the drive, offering an awe- inspiring view up and down the Columbia River, down to Rooster Rock and across to the mountains of State. Described by its architect, Edgar Lazarus, as “a temple to the natural beauty of the Gorge,” this mountaintop aerie didn’t start out to be quite so grand. Early plans called for a simple concrete and wood rest-stop to serve travelers, but thanks to civic leadership, vision, and a bit of persistence, the modest com- fort station grew into the elegant building we have today—a symbol of the Gorge and the pride of Oregon. Crown Point is now a National Natural Landmark and the would-be “simple rest-stop” is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Vista House has been renovated with the same civic spirit that inspired its creation. Friends of Vista House pro- vide information and directions as well as seasonal displays of wildflow- ers, the work of local artisans, and Vista House is the crown interpretive programs. During the jewel atop Crown Point providing a memorial to the summer, Vista House is open as a Oregon Trail pioneers, a 360° rest-stop and viewpoint for travelers. view of the Columbia River. Weather permitting, Vista House is open on weekends during the winter.

7 Highway engineer Samuel Lancaster designed around them: the graceful had to figure out how to get motor- arches of the bridges and rock barri- ists from the top of Crown Point to ers, the way the highway hugs basalt the bottom of the hill, a drop of towers, the quiet trails to the falls. some 600 feet. Being sensitive to the Even the architectural landmarks on landscape and aware of the limita- this part of the drive add to the feel- tions of the “modern” automobile, ing of the place: the three-hipped Lancaster designed the “figure-eight barn, the rustic English cottage style loops” that gracefully wind down home, and the historic “road houses” toward the river. The gentle grade Forest Hall and Bridal Veil Inn. and expansive curves make it easy Forest Hall is a private residence for both motorists and bicyclists to now, but some establishments along drift down the mountainside. the Highway are serving travelers as Lancaster’s lasting legacy to us is this they did in the 1920s. peaceful, easy ride through a Cascade forest. Here the drive con- tinues to surprise and delight as you weave through a series of remarkable waterfalls . . . Latourell, Shepperd’s Dell, Bridal Veil, and Wahkeena. The “beauty spots” that Samuel Lancaster wanted to show travelers are enhanced by the structures he

Wahkeena Falls was purchased by Simon Benson and donat- ed to the City of Portland as a park. It is now managed by the Forest Service.

TO Y MULTNOMAH W H FALLS R E IV R t is an Oregon tradition for IA I B M brides to bring their wedding U BRIDAL VEIL L EXIT 28 O POST OFFICE C invitations to the Bridal Veil post IC R office to buy stamps and to get O  T IS H the postmark. Established in HISTORIC HIGHWAY 1887, it is one of the oldest in the TO BRIDAL VEIL I-84 state, but now is open Monday – STATE PARK HCRH AND VISTA HOUSE Saturday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. It’s OTHER ROADS RAILROAD still worth a stop to photograph.

8 A Bridge ToThe Past Spray from often drifts across the Highway. t won’t take you long to see why For a second damp adventure, IMultnomah Falls is the most-visit- explore the trail behind Pony ed natural setting in Oregon. The Tail Falls—just above Horsetail Falls have been popular with travelers Falls, of course. This is a little- since the 1880s when steamboat known but treasured spot along excursions and the Oregon Railway the Highway. and Navigation Company brought tourists to enjoy the natural land- scape. Today, millions of visitors come to thrill at the sight and sound of water rushing over the basalt ledge some 600 feet above, and sent crash- ing to the bubbling pool below. All around you—blending with the damp and mossy natural landscape— are the good works of the road- builders: the gently arched bridge above the falls, the half-viaducts as you enter and leave the area, the rock guardrails protecting your drive toward Oneonta Gorge and Horsetail Falls. Multnomah Falls is a memory of Oregon carried through- out the world, an image of the Northwest found on photographs and postcards and in the words of poets and wordsmiths. Linger an hour, linger a day, lift your spirits, and fill your cup. Stop in at the Multnomah Falls Lodge, constructed in 1925 by the City of Portland and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This is a place to explore, relax, get something to eat, and to experience an international gathering of folks before exploring other sites along the Highway.

9 As you arrive at Oneonta and stand on the old bridge, you can see one of the tunnels lost to progress and Not all of the Historic filled when the route of the original Highway can be driven, but highway was changed. This tunnel that doesn’t mean it can’t be was reopened in 2009 and provides experienced and enjoyed. access to a parking area. Oneonta The keystone signs guide you Gorge is a magical place along the from Troutdale to Ainsworth. highway—a botanical paradise, with From Ainsworth exit 35, take more than fifty species of plants the Interstate east to exit 40, flourishing in the damp cool gorge where you can park in the where the falling water stirs the air Toothrock Trailhead and walk and keeps the temperature cool even or bicycle on the Historic on the hottest of days. A hike to Columbia River Highway Oneonta Falls promises to be a wet State Trail. This part of the one since you have to wade in- trail is currently open from stream to find it tucked back in the Moffett Creek east to gorge, but it is well worth the effort. Cascade Locks. Along the An old pair of tennis shoes and tow- trail, you’ll see restored rock els will come in handy. walls and viaduct railings. The Benson Footbridge carries hikers across the lower portion of Multnomah Falls, providing access to the top of the falls.

WARRENDALE EXIT 37 R V E R I A I HWY B RIVER JOHN B. YEON M BIA U LUM STATE PARK CO L IC O OR ST C HI To Multnomah DODSON Falls  HISTORIC HIGHWAY EXIT 35 I-84 HCRH OTHER ROADS TO MULTNOMAH FALLS RAILROAD

10 Restoration & Reconnection

little more than ten years after A the Historic Highway was fin- ished, the face of the Gorge began to change dramatically. Bonneville Dam was started in 1933 and when it was completed, it raised the level of the water to a point four miles east of The Dalles, submerging many of the river’s natural and scenic sites forever. While the Northwest gained a pow- erful supply of electricity and flood control, it also lost significant histori- cal resources and traditional Native American fishing sites so much a part of their culture and lifeways. Fishing platforms can still be seen, as can the remnants of the restored Toothrock and Eagle Creek viaducts if you are traveling westbound on Interstate 84. Completed in 1937, Toothrock Tunnel was constructed as part of a realignment of the Historic Highway from Bonneville Dam to Cascade V iento—a lovely Spanish Locks. Today it ably handles higher word that translates to speed traffic and wide trucks east- “windy”—a word aptly bound on Interstate 84. describing this spot on the Columbia River. You might Also in the 1930s, the Eagle Creek wonder how this Spanish word Campground—the first USDA Forest came to be used when so Service Campground in the nation— many named sites along the was improved with “modern con- veniences” for the motoring public, river have a Native American including the first flush toilet in a origin. Well, truth be told, Forest Service facility. Young men Viento is actually an acronym from all over the country left their created from the last names of homes and the depression behind to three railroad men who had a work for the Civilian Conservation connection to this spot, Corps (CCC) on projects in the great Villiard, Endicott, and Pacific Northwest. The rustic archi- Tolman—not quite as roman- tic, but creative nonetheless. Re-created “Eagles Nest” overlooking Bonneville Dam. 11 tecture they created came to be asso- challenged the future of the two-lane ciated with this part of the country Historic Highway. By 1949, a new and can still be seen at Eagle Creek. water-level route was under construc- Stone walls, fireplaces, restrooms, tion, much of it built on fill but also water fountains, and shelters remain using some of the original highway. Restored railing on Toothrock Viaduct is open for hikers and bicyclists. as tributes to their craftsmanship and By 1969, a four-lane Interstate high- a lasting reminder of their contribu- way to The Dalles was built. Much of lively port in the summertime, taking tion to the story of the Historic the section of the Historic Highway passengers up the Columbia River to Highway. The campground is near between Ainsworth and Mosier was dams, locks, and Indian fishing plat- the original Eagle Creek bridge, the paved over or bypassed and the forms. only Historic Highway bridge faced Highway itself lost prominence and with moss-covered native stone. identity in the minds of the traveling You can now hike or bike from the Here you can see Lancaster’s concern public. Today it is WaNaPa Street Bonneville Dam area along the route for the public, as he enhanced the and Forest Lane through the town of of the old highway to the town of bridge with a sturdy stone guardrail Cascade Locks, the site of geological Cascade Locks. The signed trail and a pedestrian observatory. events and the Cascades of the takes you from the Toothrock Following the lead of Lancaster, the Columbia. These white-water rapids Trailhead near Bonneville Dam CCC built the Eagle Creek Overlook forced Lewis and Clark to portage through quiet forest land, connect- for people watching construction of rather than face a certain wet and ing you to the Cascade Locks the dam. dangerous fate. Those same rapids Trailhead under the Bridge of the became a hazard to early pioneers and Gods. An additional mile of trail is The growing economy that followed inspired the development of the available between Starvation Creek World War II and the increased Barlow Road across Mt. Hood. State Park (exit 54) and Viento State demand to move goods across Oregon Sternwheelers still leave from this Park (exit 56).This is a great and safe way for the whole family to get close to history and sense how early BRIDGE OF THE GODS inhabitants might have felt as they

R E CASCADE walked across similar wooded trails. V LOCKS I R EXIT 44 A I B M U L O C

EXIT 56 Ruc VIENTO EXIT 41 Cr kle

Ea COLUMBIA RIVER STATE PARK BONNEVILLE DAM gle Cr eek  eek STAIRWAY I-84 PARKING HCRH (Driveable) EXIT 40 EXIT 54 FISH HATCHERY HCRH (Hikeable) (EASTBOUND ONLY) OTHER ROADS STARVATION CREEK RAILROAD STATE PARK

12 Land Of Contrast Hood River was known as “Dog River” in pioneer days. Hood River The name was changed to Just before you rejoin the Historic reflect the source of the river. Highway to pass through the town of The Historic Highway crosses Hood River, you’ll want to sample the Highway 35 and the Mt. Hood elegance and comfort of the Columbia Loop near the river, taking Gorge Hotel (north of I-84 at exit 62). you on a drive through the The elegant structure was built by riches of the Hood River Highway promoter and Portland civic Valley to the snow-covered leader Simon Benson. In the National slopes of Mt. Hood and Register of Historic Places, the hotel Timberline Lodge. reminds us of a time when travel was a bit more leisurely and destinations catered to those who motored through the Gorge as a form of relaxation and an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Taking Cascade Avenue east back toward town, you are once again on the route of the Historic Highway.

Historic Hood River sits on the bluff overlooking the mighty Columbia River. It won’t take you long to find the late Victorian houses, English cot- tage homes, and weatherbeaten stairs reminiscent of the days when Hood River was a thriving city of the early 1900s. In the lower part of town, you get a view of Mt. Adams to the north; from the heights, Mt. Hood is seen in full grandeur to the south. Over the years, the town of Hood River has cap- tured the best the Gorge has to offer: a thriving timber economy, world- renowned orchards and fields bearing the famous fruit of Hood River Valley, an outdoor ethic that permeates the town, and even a cultural history A model “A” roadster boasting the state’s first outdoor com- photographed during munity music festival. Hood River has restoration of the Mosier Twin Tunnels, November 4, 1996 13 a history of reinventing itself for the a hike or a bicycle ride. For everyone grace the Historic Highway has been future while preserving the best of the who travels this cliffhanging roadway, installed to protect visitors. Take a past. The last time the economy here the reward is a spectacular view down look at the rock catchment. True to was becalmed, the wind came to the to the Interstate and the legacy of the rescue. Today, you’ll see a town alive the great Columbia Historic Highway, it with activity—the home of windsurf- River. Long a curiosi- is the first of its kind, ing in Oregon. If the wind isn’t blow- ty to passers-by, the a never-been-done- ing, wait a day or two—you’ve never Tunnels connect before structure! seen anything to compare with the Hood River to Mosier The HCRH State color, speed, and sheer energy generat- . . . linking the wet Trail continues a tra- ed by hundreds of windsurfers and kite western end of the dition of visitor ser- boarders answering the call of the Gorge with the dry The Mitchell Point Tunnel was destroyed vices at trailheads on when the highway below (now Interstate 84) winds in the Gorge. eastern Columbia was widened from two lanes to four lanes. the east and west River plateau. It’s ends, both named to The Mosier Twin Tunnels hard to imagine any honor the steward- The two tunnels between Hood River other place in the world where the cli- ship and leadership of Oregon’s and Mosier were filled with rock in the mate changes so much in such a short Senator Mark O. Hatfield. mid-1950s when the new water-level distance, where in a matter of minutes route was opened, but fortunately they you can walk between two so very dif- Mosier/Rowena Crest were not destroyed. Thanks to the ferent ecosystems. On the western From the east end of the Mosier Twin work of many dedicated Highway end of the Twin Tunnels, rockfalls have Tunnels, the Historic Columbia River advocates, the Mosier Twin Tunnels are always been a hazard, damaging cars Highway once again becomes a scenic once again open for the public to and injuring people. So in the tradi- drive, connecting the city of Mosier to enjoy. Too narrow for today’s cars, the tion of Sam Hill and Samuel Lancaster, The Dalles along a scenic 15-mile Tunnels now welcome travelers taking the newest engineering structure to driving segment lined with white

HOOD RIVER BRIDGE R C I V E O L U M A R B I EXIT 69

EXIT 64

HOOD Mark O. Hatfield RIVER TRAILHEAD WEST MOSIER PARKING ATE TR ST AIL MOSIER Mark O. Hatfield WY TWIN RIVER H TRAILHEAD EAST A TUNNELS BI

HIS M H T ORIC COLU O 35 HISTORIC HIGHWAY D PA RKING O R K D E I-84 E R I-84 R I C V HCRH (Driveable) K E HCRH C R HCRH (Hikeable) RO TO MT. HOOD OTHER ROADS  OTHER ROADS RAILRAILROADROAD

14 wooden guardrails remembered from glance, they may seem barren and The Dalles long-ago drives in the country. Once a desolate, but the longer you search The Historic Columbia River Highway booming trade center, Mosier is still those great gentle contours, the more spans the extremes of Oregon’s land- famous for its springtime blossoms, fat you see and sense the subtle color and scape. From the damp and mossy west- juicy cherries, and the community’s graceful movement that gives them ern beginning along the banks of the unrivaled passion for native plants. their grandeur. Sandy River to the dry oak savannahs Each year, people from the Mosier skirting Chenoweth Creek, the two For several months each spring, the Grange set up their cherry booth on ”Oregons” are linked. Just before you Rowena Plateau is bursting with the Second Street for residents and visitors leave the Historic Highway on your bounty of wildflowers and native plants. alike to enjoy. way into The Dalles, you’ll find the Thanks to the Gorge’s wide range of Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Leaving Mosier on the elevation and precipita- Wasco County Historical Museum. Historic Highway, you tion, a diverse collection Built as the interpretive center for the are struck by the dra- of wildflowers thrives National Scenic Area, the Discovery matic change in land- here, many endemic to Center and Museum has answers to all scape and the visual the region. Among the your questions about how the Gorge reminders of the people showiest are balsamroot, a was formed by geologic forces and who once lived near yellow sunflower, and the The Historic Columbia River floods, leaving the land almost without this place: the orchards Highway was constructed with deep blue-violet broadleaf maximum 5% grades. soil. You’ll learn about the first people where fortunes were lupine. The wildflowers of to live along the river, hear tales of made and lost, the ele- the Gorge are a source of traders and settlers, listen to the voices gant Mayerdale estate so unexpected pride for those who live in the area and of ranchers and fishermen, and you’ll on this rural stretch of the road, and a source of wonder for all who happen see a history of transportation and com- the Memaloose Overlook to the burial upon them. You can take an organized merce throughout the Gorge. As your grounds on Memaloose Island in the tour or leisurely roam through the tour over the Historic Columbia River wide river below. This lonely island Tom McCall Preserve. Two words of Highway comes to takes its name from the Chinook word advice: don’t pick the an end, begin a memalust which means “to die.” Once flowers and watch out new journey on the a traditional burial site of Native for poison oak! road to the Lewis Americans, the island now holds only Leaving the Rowena and Clark campsite the grave of the one white man who Plateau, the vision of at Rock Fort, tour asked to be placed to rest with his Sam Lancaster is once the murals and his- Indian friends, to be buried “among again fulfilled as the road toric landmarks in honest men.” Leaving the inspirational loops down in a series of The Rowena Loops guide you from The Dalles, look view of Memaloose behind, the Rowena Crest down to the river level wide easy turns to the for the basalt rock Historic Highway gently climbs again, through a series of graceful curves. bottom of the hill, giving formations around this time toward the Rowena Plateau you the best view and town, and travel on and the viewpoint at Rowena Crest, a the easiest ride. Once down the to Celilo Village, the site of the now year-round wonder rivaling the view Rowena Loops nearing the community submerged falls, the ancient fishing from Crown Point. From this spot you of Rowena, you can look across grounds and trading center at the heart get an unobstructed view of the Interstate 84 to two favored and windy of the Columbia River . . . all reminders Klickitat River in Washington and the sailboard sites along the river, East of a time and the people who were here “other” Northwest, the dry eastern hills Mayer State Park and across the river, long before this story began. of Oregon and Washington rolling Doug’s Beach.. toward the wheat country of the great Columbia Basin Plateau. At first

15 Travel Tips For more information, please contact: Oregon Tourism Commission As you travel the Highway, look for interpretive signs and 775 Summer St. NE markers. They are there to help you enjoy your adventure Salem, Oregon 97301 on the Historic Columbia River Highway. 800/547-7842 www.traveloregon.com The Columbia River Gorge is a national treasure—help Oregon Parks and Recreation Department keep it clean and please don’t remove plants or materials 725 Summer St. NE, Suite C from the area. Salem, Oregon 97301-1002 Information only: 800-551-6949 The road is narrow, so be careful of people on bikes or Reservations Northwest 800-452-5687 enjoying the Highway on foot. Remember, trail surfaces www.oregonstateparks.org may vary. Oregon Department of Transportation Portland, Oregon Some of the bridges—including the viaducts on either side 503/731-4957 of Multnomah Falls—are only 18 feet wide, making it diffi- www.oregon.gov/odot/hwy/hcrh/ cult for oversized vehicles. Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Parking can be a problem at some of the more popular sites USDA Forest Service in the summer—especially at Multnomah Falls. Try visiting Hood River, Oregon early in the morning, on weekdays, or in the off-seasons. 541/308-1700 www.fs.fed.us/r6/Columbia/Forest Much of the Gorge is private prop- Columbia River Gorge Commission erty. Please respect the privacy of White Salmon, Washington local residents. 509/493-3323 Columbia Gorge Visitors Association Restrooms are available at Lewis and Clark State Park, The Dalles, Oregon Dabney State Park, Vista House, Latourell Falls, Bridal Veil 800/98/GORGE Falls State Park, , Multnomah Falls, www.crgva.org Bonneville Dam, Eagle Creek Campground, Starvation Creek State Park, Viento State Park, Mitchell Point and East Friends of Vista House and West Senator Mark O. Hatfield Trailheads. Corbett, Oregon 503/695-2230 Watch out for poison oak and ticks, especially around the www.vistahouse.com Mosier Twin Tunnels. Friends of the Historic Columbia River Highway www.hcrh.org Restoration work on the Historic Highway continues. You Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum might encounter construction. The Dalles, Oregon 541/296-8600 Follow the signs to visitor infor- www.gorgediscovery.org mation centers in Troutdale, Cascade Locks, Hood River, Wind and Weather Information and The Dalles. Hood River, Oregon 541/386-3300 Some trails and parks charge a day-use fee. Please refer to This publication is available in alternative formats upon request to the large map for specific information on which sites Oregon Department of Transportation, 503/731-8200. charge fees. All photographs are property of Oregon Department of Transportation. The vintage photos are hand-painted glass slides. 16